Always With You
by Boo Birthday
Summary: I'm Boo, Boo Clearwater. At least, that's what the world knows me as. Of course, no-one knows my real name. Well, almost no-one. But, then again, hardly anyone knows me anyway. I'm the world's greatest Mafia agent. My life was perfect. Then someone arrived at my base, my home. Rod Ross trusted them but I wasn't too sure. I mean, how sane could you be if you were hunting Kira?
1. Chapter 1

"Boo! " I looked up from the knife I had been cleaning and sighed. They only ever wanted to talk to me when I was in the middle of doing something. I threw the cloth to the floor in frustration. Oh the joys of being the only female agent in this Mafia base! I swear if one of them asked for a sandwich again, blood was going to be spilt. I got up slowly and began walking towards the door to the hallway.  
"What do you want? I'm kind of busy!" Growling, I stormed down the hall, effectively barging into Jack Neylon. I fell backwards, shaking my head vigorously and making my growl more detectable.  
"What is it, Neylon? I do have things to do!" He smirked. It took a while before I understood the hidden double meaning in my words. I recoiled in disgust, but not before I had dealt a stinging blow to the back of his head. He gripped it tightly, moaning in pain.  
"Jeez, Boo! It was a joke! Look, the boss wants you. Apparently you have another assignment." My bad mood was instantly lifted. This was more like it. Stepping over my groaning Mafia 'brother', I all but ran to the boss's office. I always got the best jobs, a bonus of being the best agent the Mafia had. A slight smile rose on my face as I thought of the task ahead. I wondered who had an appointment with death this time.

"Come on in." Stepping into the spacious 'office', I immediately noticed something was wrong. Rod Ross was covered - literally covered - in bruises of all shapes and sizes. I gasped, my emotions getting the best of me once again. Ross was the only one I ever truly cared for in a father-daughter sort of way. At 15, it was the closest I got to a affectionate feeling.  
"Ross? Oh my God! What the hell happened?" Launching myself across the room, I grabbed for a bottle of ointment and a box of tissues. He attempted to push away my hands, but it was half-hearted.  
"Boo, I'm fine. I would have been a lot worse, but I got lucky. Someone intervened," he said, motioning towards the corner of the room. I stopped what I was doing momentarily as the shadows moved. Putting the bottle down on the table, I reached towards my ballistic knife that I always kept in my back pocket. True, Rod Ross trusted them but that didn't mean they were trustworthy. I narrowed my eyes, prepared to launch the serrated blade.  
"Put it away, kiddo. Someone might end up getting hurt," the shadow taunted. I didn't need to see them to know a smirk had graced their features. I snarled, ready to give in to my trigger finger. Then Ross put a hand on my arm.  
"Boo, don't. We both know you won't miss and I ideally want my rescuer alive when we help him." My expression softened slightly as I sheathed the blade. Best agent or not, my adolescent heart had no desire to ruin our relationship.  
"Very well, but you know I make a point to know exactly who I'm working for. That includes appearance," I stated, glancing back at the still hidden figure. Ross nodded and motioned them forward.  
"Boo, meet Mello."

The boy that stepped out of the shadows could not have been more different from what I had expected. His blonde bob was silky and straight, his figure almost feminine. The eyes didn't disappoint though. Cold, determined blue orbs stared back at my grey ones. Smirking, I looked him up and down. This ought to be a fun conversation.  
"I thought you said you were calling in the best, Rod?" He said, raising an eyebrow critically. Correction: This ought to be a fun conversation, providing I didn't kill him first. I growled, my hands clenching into fists. I had a short fuse and that comment had just reduced it by half. Rod, however, just laughed and nodded.  
"Mello, I'd like you to meet the best agent the Mafia has ever had, Boo Clearwater." Surprise took over the boy's features. I narrowed my eyes at him.  
"Is that a problem, Mello?" I asked, emphasizing his name. Ha. I had never heard a more obvious alias. I grinned as he didn't reply. Score one for the teenage girl. Unfortunately, his mouth didn't stay shut for long.  
"No, that's not a problem. I just didn't expect the Mafia's best agent to be a ten-year old," he said, laughter evident in his tone. Right, that was it! Size was a sensitive subject to me and no-one that wanted to live made a comment about it. This boy was going to die.

Rod Ross laughed as I attempted to break the handcuffs that were holding me to the wall. I snarled at him, failing to see the amusement in my current situation. After that boy's comment, I had dived at him. It had taken every Mafia member in the base to get me off of him. I didn't care who he was, he had no right to comment on my height! He had gotten off lightly as Ross had managed to confiscate my knife before I had gotten a chance to use it. So I had simply resorted to fists. His skin had been red raw by the time I had been dragged away. That ought to teach him a lesson. I was feeling pretty good about myself afterwards. Then they chained me to a wall. Growling, I began pulling on the metal again. This wasn't fair! Why was I getting punished? He started it! I turned to face Ross, fury emitting from every pore in my body. He just chuckled.  
"What, Boo? Do you seriously think I would do nothing after you attempted to kill the poor boy?"  
"POOR?! It was his fault! He made the comment, so dealt him the consequences he deserved!" I was still chained to the wall. No matter how violently I yanked and pulled, the stupid thing just wouldn't break!  
"Boo! Calm down! He had only just met you, remember? How was he supposed to know how personally you took comments like that?" I stopped momentarily. Ross was right. As annoying as the boy had been, he hadn't known. A harmless taunt, that was all it was intended to be. I slid down the wall and pulled my knees to my chest. Wrapping my arms around them, my eyes began to tear up. Ross was the only one who had ever seen me cry. I didn't like hurting people who didn't deserve it, no matter what anyone else thought. Sometimes my anger just got the better of me.  
"I'm sorry, Ross," I choked out between sobs. I felt him put a hand on my shoulder. Looking up through watery eyes, I saw him smile down at me.

"I know, Boo. Now, get yourself cleaned up so you can go and apologise to the person who deserves it." I nodded and, once the handcuff had been unlocked, ran to the bathroom. Splashing water on my face, I attempted to wipe away the damage done by the tears. I sighed. My eyes were still slightly puffy, but it wasn't too noticeable. Besides, it was the best results I was going to get. Retreating back into the other room, I nodded to Ross.  
"I'm ready, let's go."

Mello glared at me. He was furious, that much was evident. But there was something else. There was a slither of respect in his gaze, a slight glint of admiration. He took a deep breath.  
"Alright, apology accepted. You don't need to explain either. The boys here already have. I didn't know comments could affect people that much," he finished, smirking slightly. I grinned back at him. The mood was much lighter now.  
"Well, at least you now know Ross was telling the truth," I said, a show of amusement on my features. "About me being the best I mean." He nodded slowly, holding out his hand. I shook it, sealing the truce.  
"Maybe we should start again," I suggested. "Hi, I'm Boo Clearwater. I'm 15 years old and I've been part of the Mafia for 7 of those years. My birthday is the fourth of December. I have the mental age of a five-year old. I'm an orphan to top it all off, though I class Rod Ross as a father and I think that is about it. Oh, and my favourite weapons are ballistic knives, crossbows and snipers. What about you?" Mello laughed quietly.  
"Cheerful introduction. Nice to meet you, Boo Clearwater. The name's Mello. I'm 19 years old and my birthday is in December, like yours. Mine's on the thirteenth though, not the fourth. I was raised in an orphanage in England, so, like you, I'm also an orphan. As for favourite weapon, I got to say my pistol," he exclaimed, holding up the gun. I looked at it for a moment, noting the many customisations. It had been a good gun originally, but I could see the innumerable amount of improvements that had been made. In short, it was the best pistol I had seen in a long time. Suddenly, Jack Neylon let out a laugh. I looked over at him, glaring.  
"May I ask what you're finding so funny, Neylon? Because I'm dying to hit someone right about now." His smile faltered a little, but it remained in place.  
"I would have thought you would have gotten that out of your system when you beat Mello," he snickered, his eyes glinting with malice. My eyebrows knitted together as my hands clenched into fists once again.  
"I wouldn't wind her up to much. Trust me, the punches hurt," Mello stated. I glanced back at him, grinning evilly.  
"Oh, you haven't had half of it. You're just lucky Ross got to my knife before I did." He smirked at my comment.  
"I'll bet I am," he said as he pulled the wrapping from a chocolate bar. Rod Ross cleared his throat, attracting everyone's attention.  
"Well, I'm glad you two are getting on now. Like Jack told you earlier, you have an assignment. Actually, we all do. Mello has asked for our help and I have accepted his proposal. From now on, this organisation has a new target. Today, we begin the hunt for Kira." I gasped, looking for a sign to say he wasn't being honest. There wasn't one. I spun around, grabbing on to his arm.  
"Please tell me you're joking! You've got to be joking!" Ross shook his head.  
"I'm sorry, Boo. I'm not," he said, looking at the floor.  
"But we agreed! You promised that you would never risk the lives of this family!" My voice had risen to a shout. For the first time in many years, I was scared. My Mafia family was all I had left. Death couldn't take them too. Ross grabbed my shoulders and forced me to look him in the eyes.  
"Boo, this is your task, our task. Do you accept?" I said nothing, nodding slowly. Ross sighed and released me from his hold. I moved towards my room, polishing my knife as I did so. Pausing at the doorway, I looked back at my 'brothers'.  
"I'll be in my room. When I come back out, I want to start this mission. I will have it no other way. A plan better be ready by the time I return." With that, I turned and stormed down the hallway to my room, my safe haven.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, let me get this straight." I stood up and focused my attention on Mello, not believing a word of the story he had just relayed to me.  
"There's a book. This book is owned by a god of death, a shinigami, and you can kill anyone by writing down their name?" He nodded.  
"Yep, that's pretty much it," he grinned, snapping off another piece of chocolate. I thought of the power the 'Death Note' could give to the holder. With the eyes, you would be unstoppable . . . like Kira. I shook my head, disinclined let the thoughts effect my judgement. Hands on hips, eyebrows raised, I asked the question I would later regret.  
"Why do you care so much about Kira anyway?" Mello narrowed his eyes before replying.  
"He killed the founder of my orphanage, Quillish Wammy, and he killed L."

Ringing. My ears were ringing. He was wrong; he had to be wrong. L Lawliet, the world's greatest detective, dead? Subconsciously, my fist swung at him. I threw feeble punches over and over, yelling at him to tell the truth. He couldn't be gone. That's when my resolve broke. I fell to the floor, regretting every lie and every missed opportunity. As tears streamed down my face, I saw my Lawliet, cold and lifeless on the floor. It was pointless now, everything was pointless. There was no-one to impress anymore. I could vaguely hear the others muttering but I didn't care. They could say what they wanted. Life had no meaning anymore. Only one person in here could understand the way I was currently feeling. So, in the heat of the moment, I flung myself into a highly disturbed Mello's arms and began to sob uncontrollably on his shoulder.

"Look, Boo, you have to calm down. I understand that you are upset, but this isn't the time for an emotional breakdown." I glared at him furiously. For the first time in my life, I was truly angry at Rod Ross. Taking a few steps forward, my expression menacing, I began to scream. A hand was placed over my mouth, only to be hastily jerked away when my jaws closed together. They didn't understand, they couldn't understand. I needed to get out of here before I got hurt, or before I hurt somebody else. I made a dash for Ross' office and made it just in time. The sobs broke out again. Why did he have to die? Why couldn't someone else have taken his place? I needed my L, my Lawliet. I regretted every refusal on my part, every rejection. Because now I was hurting and I knew it wouldn't go away for as long as I lived.

Bang! I looked towards the door through my irritated, blood-shot eyes. Either someone was really concerned or I was in the middle of World War 3.  
"Boo?! Open the damn door!" Or it was some insensitive idiot that was too nosy for his own good. Groaning, I wrenched the door open and came face-to-face with Mello.  
"What do you want?" I asked, despair dripping from every word I spoke. His expression changed to one of concern momentarily before the storm cloud was back.  
"I want to know what the hell is wrong with you! What caused that reaction, huh?" Scanning my surroundings, I yanked him through the entrance by his leather waistcoat. Locking the door after him, I motioned towards the seats. Cautiously, he sat, his wary eyes on me the whole time. I can't say I blamed him. After the earlier escapade, I wouldn't want to be alone in a room with me either. Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair.  
"Who am I, Mello?" My question caught him off-guard.  
"You're Boo Clearwater, best Mafia agent," he answered, a questioning tone tainting his voice. I shook my head.  
"No, you're wrong. True, that's what everyone knows me as. But that's not my real name. There was only two people in the world that knew my true name and now they're both dead. So, I guess you are actually right. I am now Boo Clearwater, murderer extraordinaire. But that's not who I was born as. L knew the truth. As did Watari." I smiled slightly, memories dancing through my brain. My train of thought was broken by a scoff. I glanced over at Mello who held his hand over his mouth.  
"Sorry, Boo, but I don't believe that L had a girlfriend. He would have mentioned her at least once and, no offence, but you weren't mentioned at all." My smile returned, cold and hard.  
"No, Mello. You don't understand. I wasn't dating L, I have never done so, nor did I ever plan to. Maybe my name will give you a clue. The world knows me as Boo Clearwater, but check my birth certificate and you'll find something completely different. My real name," I took a deep breath. "My real name is Boo Lawliet." Mello was stunned.  
"Y-You mean you're . . ." I nodded.  
"L was my older brother and my only living relative."


	3. Chapter 3

Mello was gobsmacked. There was no other word for it. His jaw was hanging down where his chin should have been and his eyes held endless pits of disbelief. I let it continue for a while, enjoying the silence, but eventually it began causing shivers to travel up my spine. Now I knew how zoo exhibits felt. Clearing my throat loudly, I raised a single eyebrow. My expression held nothing but sarcasm, devoid of amusement.  
"Are you done? Maybe I should do a few somersaults." Mello glared at me, a slight colour rising to his cheeks.  
"Geez, I'm _so _sorry. Maybe I should be on my knees begging for forgiveness? Who knows, maybe you get a kick out of the power." I was on my feet, my fists clenched around handfuls of leather. I brought his face close to mine as I let loose a feral snarl.  
"You have no right to say that! You don't know anything about me! The only person who did is dead! He was the only one I had left! You're an orphan so you should understand! But no! All you do is run around with your head stuck up your arse, hurling insults at those you deem unworthy!" My breath came heavy after this outburst and tears filled my eyes again. As they fell, I remember my mother, Lawli's mother. The look of hopelessness as she realised it was all over, the look of defeat knowing she couldn't save us. The expanding pool of red below her as the light left her eyes. I had been so scared. But L had been there to protect me, to help me recover. Father had died that night too, but that hadn't been an accident. He had deserved everything he got. But L wasn't here now.

I released the black material slowly. Pulling at the collar and smoothing the creases, Mello looked up at me with a slowly widening smile. I sent him a questioning look.  
"You just can't keep your hands off me, can you?" I couldn't help myself; I burst out laughing, the flow of tears halting.  
"I didn't mean it - the power thing. You were right. I know exactly what it's like to have no-one left," he said in a low tone, the grin dropping from his face. I understood his reaction. It was hard to talk about the death of your loved ones. And when I had thrown it in his face like that . . .

I put my hand on his shoulder and shook him gently.  
"Look at us, moaning and moping. Come on, no more slacking. We have work to do." He nodded, stood up and smirked.  
"You really are tiny, you know that right?" He was out of the room and half way down the hall by the time I had processed what he had said. Instead of growling, the corners of my mouth rose as I gave chase. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

"Boo, really? Can't you leave the poor boy alone?" Ross was laughing as he voiced the question. Currently, Mello was pinned to the floor with me situated on top of him. Though it wasn't going to be like that for too long. Almost immediately, he began fighting back, causing a full scale wrestling match in the middle of the corridor. I could see a crowd gathering out of the corner of my eye, but I didn't care. Never had I experience so much fun or so much of a challenge. Mello, it seemed, was a lot stronger than he looked, much like myself. Finally, we both pulled away, breathless and smirking. Then my expression turned serious and stony. As amusing as that fight had been, we had work to do. I motioned sideways and he nodded, understanding my silent dictation. Side by side, we walked into the planning room, our alliance and newly found friendship forming a bond between us. Risking a glance sideways, my attention focused on the rosary that hung from Mello's neck. Silently, I prayed for his safety, as well as the safety of my Mafia family. I couldn't lose anyone else. I wouldn't, no matter the cost.  
"Boo?" Shaking free my disheartening thoughts, I walked through the open door and took my allocated place as Ross' right hand man. Or woman. Technically. Mello drew up a chair next to me and nodded towards the file in front of me.  
"This is all the information I have on Kira. I know that it isn't much but . . ."  
"Isn't much?" Miller stood up, shaking with rage. "This is nothing! How do you expect us to catch the world's greatest serial killer with this? I thought you knew L? The world's greatest detective! Where is his information? Or maybe you were lying this whole time." His tone was laced with disgust and fury. Mello stood up, shaking. If looks could kill, well, Miller would have died ten times over by now. I raised myself out of my seat and turned to face him.  
"Sit down, Mello. I'll deal with him." For a moment, I was sure he wasn't going to listen. But, after nodding stiffly, he lowered himself back into his seat. Then I turned to Miller. Even Glen Humphreys and Rashual Bid squirmed in their seats at the intensity of my gaze. Now that was an achievement worth noting.  
"Miller, how stupid are you?" My tone was soft, but there was an underlying threat that was obviously to everyone. "Imagine for a moment that you are the world's greatest detective and you are working on the most dangerous case in history. You suspect that you are going to be killed by Kira. Would you really leave all that intelligence, all that information, on a computer for the perpetrator to find and access?" He flushed and looked away, shaking his head in denial as he did so. I nodded in satisfaction and returned to my seat.  
"Let's carry on shall we?" I asked, looking round. Everyone murmured in agreement. I motioned for the file. The meeting had begun.

"I think that concludes our meeting. With that, goodnight." Everyone stood up to leave, making their way to their rooms. I sighed loudly, running a hand through my drastically short, brown hair. I loved my hair. It was so easy to manage, no pathetic tangles involved. It was a rather extreme haircut, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I honestly could not understand how other girls could have their hair so long! Someone cleared their throat. I looked up and came face-to-face with Ross.  
"Boo, you've been through a lot today. You ought to go to bed." I grinned at his paternal side.  
"Yes, dad," I teased, tapping his cheek lightly. He chuckled and pulled me in for a hug. I was shocked. True, he was like my second father, but he hardly ever showed me this much affection. It felt good though, to feel loved.  
"No matter what happens, Boo, you have to promise you'll put your safety first. Okay?" I felt the vibrations from his chest as he spoke. I nuzzled into him, breathing in the scent of home.  
"I can't promise anything, but I'll do my best." His chest rumbled as he laughed.  
"That's my girl. Now off to bed missus." I broke away from the embrace and skipped to the door. Pausing, I looked back and smiled.  
"I'll see you tomorrow, Ross." His lips rose at the corners and he nodded in return.  
"Sleep well, Boo."


	4. Chapter 4

Information on Kira was spread all around the room. It had been months since the first meeting. There had been many more since and there was to be many more to come. I exhaled loudly. Tracking down the world's greatest serial killer was hard work.

"Hey, Midget! Got anything new to report?" My head snapped up, my smile spreading rapidly.  
"Keep your hair on, Blondie," I shouted back. "You better watch that mouth. That chocolate breath is going to get you into trouble one day." Mello smirked.  
"Nice one. I got to say, your comebacks are getting better," he called over, still grinning all over his face. After our original disagreements, we discovered that we actually had a lot in common. We got on so well nowadays that, well, it was kind of creepy. He was the only one I permitted to call me names, or mock me. It was great to have a best friend. Walking over to him, I collapsed on the chair to his right.  
"As for information, I have got something. It's more of an idea really. I mean, who knows the NPA better than the head director?" Mello tilted his head to the side questioningly, his eyes alight with curiosity. The members around him leaned in too. Looks like I had the stage to myself.  
"Well, if you wanted to get information on the NPA, surely you would want to talk to the director of the NPA? I mean, he has _all_ the information we would need," I explained, my eyes glinting with anticipation. A laugh from Mello told me he understood. He laughed and laughed. Turning his attention back to me, he nodded.  
"Looks like we have a plan of action. Hey, Ross!" He called towards the office. Rod Ross emerged, looking tense.  
"Yes, Mello? What's happened?"  
"Nothing, we're all fine. I was just wondering if you could prepare a room. An interrogation room would be best. Boo here has just had the idea of inviting over the head director of the NPA," he explained, motioning towards me with a hand. Suddenly, the room was charged with a new kind of electricity. Everyone understood and everyone was pumped. Ross looked more alive than he had in a long time.  
"So who's going to do the deed?" Everyone looked at one another. Rolling my eyes, I stood up. I crossed the room and brought Ross in for a hug.  
"You've still got my performance clothes, right? Looks like I have another gig in Japan. I wonder if the director is as loyal as everyone thinks." He laughed at my evaluation of the situation. Then he pulled me back, his hands on my shoulders.  
"But have you still got the flair?" Grinning, I retreated to my room.  
"Boys, prepare for a show. Looks like I'm going to show you how to use a karaoke machine."

These earrings really were not made for human ears. Pieces of metal, maybe. Removing the heavy device and rubbing the lobe, I turned towards the opening door. I smiled when I saw who it was.  
"Come on in, Mello. What did you think?" He just shook his head, grinning.  
"That director won't know what hit him." Laughing, I closed the door.  
"Do you think he'll stay faithful to his wife after that?" Mello raised an eyebrow.  
"Do you even have to ask? Some of the guys were drooling when you finished!" I pulled a face.  
"That's gross. They're gross."  
"Well, you do look pretty sexy you know," he said, running his eyes over my body. I blushed immediately, self-consciously pulling at my short skirt.  
"Shut up. You're supposed to be on my side! No staring." Sticking my tongue out childishly, I walked into my wardrobe. I wanted to be out of this outfit as soon as possible. Besides, I'd need it again soon.  
"I am on your side, I just thought you looked nice," Mello called from behind the closed door.  
"You're still a pervert in my eyes," I yelled back, giggling as I did so. Still, I felt uneasy. Mello didn't think of me that way, did he? I hoped not. True, he was nice and we were good friends, but I didn't see him like _that_.  
"Boo? How long does it take to change clothes?" Sighing at his lack of patience, I exited the closet and made my way to my vanity. This make-up, make-up worthy of a Class A slut, was coming off. I hated wearing the stuff, but sometimes it was necessary. Unfortunately, this was one of those times. I glared back at the blonde who was currently sprawled across my bed.  
"Make yourself useful and help me pack. Oh, and whatever you do, remember the pepper spray. As alluring as I have to be, dealing with the after effects is not on my 'to do list'." He nodded, throwing the can in the bag.

"Boo," he said quietly, his voice hesitant. I looked over, his tone intriguing me. He opened his mouth and closed it again before speaking.

"Be careful over there. I'm not there and, to be honest, you're my best friend. I'd hate for anything to happen to you." There it was again, the feeling of being wanted. Tackling him in an embrace, I nodded into his shoulder.  
"I promise, Mello. Besides, you know as well as anyone that I can take care of myself."  
"Now that statement is all too true," he said laughing. It wasn't long before I joined in and, for the first time, I truly felt happy since my brother's death.

My fist swung through the air, connecting with his face. Once again, the director was forced to spit out a mouthful of blood.  
"Geez lady, what the hell is wrong with you?" My smile was cold and unnerving.  
"Actually, the question ought to be reversed. Wasn't it you who 'came on' to a teenage girl?" He glared up at me, trying to fight the restraints holding him to the chair.  
"You were interested! Or you acted like it! How was I supposed to know otherwise?" I clicked my tongue in a disapproving manner.  
"You're the chief of the NPA. Shouldn't you know better?" His face lost its colour. Finally, his attitude made sense.  
"You thought the kidnapping was random didn't you? You thought you were just unlucky. Well, in a sense, you are. We want information. You are going to give us that information."  
"What if I don't?" After all this time, after all that pain, the bastard still managed to be defiant. Slowly, I pulled my blade from my back pocket and, carefully, ran the serrated edge across the soft skin of his neck. He swallowed loudly, pupils dilated with fear.  
"Do we understand each other now, Mr. Takimura?" He nodded; his eyes following every movement the blade made. I smiled coldly. Usually I wouldn't be too happy about this but, after looking through his record, I was all too sure he deserved it.  
"Brilliant. Now, be a good boy and answer the questions. Or I'll have to punish you and we don't want that, do we? I cleaned this room especially for you. It'd be a shame if the floor was sticky again." He was terrified. Nodding to Glen Humphreys and Rashual Bid, I took my leave. If he had been scared of me, I couldn't wait to see his reaction to the veterans. I hoped Mello was recording this.

There were smiles all around when I entered the main room, or the 'living area'. Apparently, I had done my job well.

"Did you see that guys face when you brought out the knife? Absolutely priceless! Great job, Boo. I didn't know you had it in you." I grinned.  
"Well, you don't get to be the best by looking cute." Laughter echoed around, mine mingling in with the rest. Wiping my eyes, I turned to face the chocoholic.  
"Hey, Mello, you are recording this aren't you? I missed his reaction to Humphreys and Bid." His signature smirk danced across his face.  
"'Course I am, Boo. I haven't had this much fun in years. This video's definitely a keeper. I was surprised he didn't throw up. Though the best part has to be when he accused you of being a masochist and obsessed with bondage." I scoffed at the memory.  
He hadn't said anything for a while after that. Some people do find it hard to talk when someone's fist continuously collides with your face.  
"I still reckon the consequences of that statement were better," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "What do you think, Ross?" Ross chuckled and clapped his hands.  
"Very well done, Boo. I'm starting to think you should be an interrogator. Thanks to you, all Glen and Rashual had to do was crack their knuckles. Words flowed from his mouth like a water fountain. I doubt any of the information is going to be useful though. The guys are going to have to steer him in the right direction. For now, go and rest." I nodded slowly.  
"Very well, but I want to be there when Mello makes his visit. Oh, by the way, Mello, I got you something." Tossing the bag at him, I left. But not before I caught the look on his face when he saw the coat. I laughed quietly. Honestly, you would have thought he'd won the lottery.

Snapping a piece of chocolate loudly, Mello stepped into the light. Ross spoke first.  
"Has he decided to say anything yet?"  
"He told us the Japanese police have begun to wimp out on Kira. Looks like right now, the only ones who are officially working for L are Soichiro Yagami, Kanzo Mogi and Touta Matsuda. Isn't that right?" Pedro Kollet was the one talking. I felt a pang as I heard my older brother's name, but I managed to keep it on the inside. The director sucked in a deep breath.  
"Yeah. There was also Ukita, but he was killed by Kira."

"Right," Pedro countered sarcastically, "and as top cop, somehow you didn't even know that this notebook even existed, or that you had it." Eddie started to laugh.  
"Japanese cops must be a joke." Both Eddie and Pedro fell silent as Mello started forwards. I remained in the shadows, grinning in spite of the situation. It turned out he did love his new jacket as much I had thought. It looked good on him too. But, then again, it was made of shiny black leather.  
"Of all the investigators on the task force, Deputy Director Yagami would be the highest ranking, right?" Mello's tone was cold and threatening. I would hate to be that director right about now.  
"Y-Yeah." The director was tired, exhausted. Then again, after what he had been through, I wasn't surprised. Not that I was sorry. Given the chance, I'd do it all again with a smile on my face. Mello took another bite of chocolate, smirking and raising his hand into the air.

"My theory is that there are two notebooks out there. One of these is in Kira's possession. The other is with the NPA." His fist clenched as he brought his arm down to his chest.  
"We're going to take both of them." Pedro and Eddie started, surprised noises escaping their throats. Ross grinned.  
"Don't worry. As long as we do what Mello says, there will be no mistakes. It's been a year and a half since he joined us and, the entire time, he's never been wrong about anything." My shock prevented me from hearing Eddie's reply. A year and a half . . . had it really been that long? Had L truly died all that time ago? Mello's voice caught my attention. It wasn't what he said, it was the way he said it. Never had I heard such aggression in his voice before.

"It's not just the notebook I'm after. I want to eliminate my competition." His fist was brought to his chest one more as he continued savagely. "I will be the best. I don't care what it takes; I'll beat Near by any means necessary." I started again. Never had I heard Mello's voice to be so full of hate, filled with disgust. Whoever this Near was, he was in trouble.

I grabbed him before he could enter his room.  
"Walk with me." He stopped for a moment, considering. Finally, he nodded.  
"Okay, but I'm bringing my coat." I grinned at Mello's reply, glad he had liked my present.  
"You had better. That cost a bloody fortune." We travelled in silence for a while before I worked up the courage to ask the question.  
"Who's Near?" Mello's entire form stiffened. Turning to me slowly, I saw the rage in his eyes. I winced visibly. He looked shocked for a moment before sighing.  
"So, you're frightened of me are you?" A little colour rose to my cheeks.  
"A little," I admitted grudgingly.  
"Well well, looks like the 'fearless' mafia agent can experience terror after all," he teased, his expression still stony. I didn't like it. It didn't suit him. It didn't suit him at all. Leaning over, I pulled at the corners of his mouth. He shook his head, attempting to rid his mouth of my fingers, but I clung on. He gave up and I managed to create a half smile. It didn't work. He was still as angry as before. I removed my hands with a sigh before silence took over. It lasted for so long, I was sure I wasn't going to even get a 'goodnight' before he stormed away.

"We went to the same orphanage. He was number one, I was number two," Mello explained, swallowing loudly. "No matter how much I tried, I couldn't beat him. I gave up everything to study, but nothing ever worked. I was always second best. Even now, he's co-operating with the President and I'm here in this rundown pit." I looked at the floor. Boy did those words hit home. Though it was true that I was intelligent, I was nothing compared to my brother. Everything I tried, L always did better. Don't get me wrong, I loved my brother to pieces, but jealousy did strange things to people. Maybe that was why I didn't want him around as much as I should have. Exhaling deeply, I sat down on the closest ledge, motioning for Mello to join me. He did so without hesitation. As my eyes closed, my head fell on to his shoulder.

"You don't have to worry, Mello. You're number one to everyone here, including me. Especially me. I've never had a best friend before. Before I met you, there was no-one I could talk to or relate to. You changed that and it's nice. It's good to finally have someone to rely on; someone you know will always be there. Besides, this Near sounds like a real wimp. You show more bravery in one day than he'll probably exhibit in a lifetime." He laughed, the baritone sound echoing throughout the hall.  
"Thanks, Boo. You always know how to make people feel better. You should meet Matt. You two would get on like a house on fire." I thought for a moment.  
"Is he hot?" Laughing once again, Mello pushed me lightly.  
"That director was right. You really do have a one-track mind." I shook my head grinning.  
"Come on, chocolate whore. I'm tired and you need your rest. Believe it or not, carrying out a ransom demand is hard work. Trust me, I'm an expert." His head swivelled from side to side in amusement. Nonetheless, he joined me as I began to walk back to my room. Reaching the door, I turned around and hugged him tightly.  
"Thank you, Mello. For being there for me, for being my best friend and, most of all, for making me happy again. I didn't think that was possible, not after L died. But you made it happen. For that, I owe you one," I said as I drew back. "I'll do anything to help you, Mello. I want this killer caught as much as you do. You tell me what to do and I'll get it done . . . big brother." His face contorted in shock. Oh dear, this was not going to go well. I felt his hand on my chin, forcing my face upwards. Risking a glance, I saw tears in his eyes. Then I was pulled into a bone-crushing hug.  
"I should be the one thanking you, Boo. I've never had a little sister but, if I did, I'd want her to be just like you. I know you miss L, your true brother, but I would gladly take his place, even if it does mean being second again. You are an amazing girl, Boo, and to be your 'big brother' . . . well, I'd love it. After all, it gives me a reason to beat the living daylights out of people, right?" I giggled, clutching him like a lifeline. He was right, I did miss L. But I felt closer to Mello than I had to anyone in a long time. Even Rod Ross. Maybe life wasn't so bad after all. Silently, I sent a message to L, telling him how much I missed him, but expressing how glad I was to have Mello, to have safety.


	5. Chapter 5

Pedro Kollet burst into the room, panting heavily with an expression of pure fear on his face. Even Rod Ross looked up from the slut he was currently entertaining.  
"Boss!" He almost yelled, out of breath from his run. Ross' reply was quick, harsh and to the point.

"Shut up. Can't you see that I'm busy?" He would often talk like that, but only in extreme cases. He was getting worse as we came nearer to obtaining the notebook. Maybe it was the power that did it, I don't know. All I did know was that this notebook was no good.

"I'm sorry, but Eddie and I were talking for a minute and . . . it looks like Takimura hung himself with his tie somehow." Ross leaned forward, his face full of contempt.  
"What's wrong with you? Just great. What are we supposed to do with a dead hostage?"

I glanced at Mello, worried about his reaction. To my surprise, he was smirking, the signature expression taking over his face.  
"No," he said, raising his voice an octave. "This'll be just fine." Ross made a noise of surprise.  
"What do you mean, Mello?" I asked with my eyes lighting up. He didn't answer, choosing instead to snap off a piece of chocolate.  
"Yeah, Boo's right. What are we going to do, Mello?" Rod Ross joined the conversation once more, nodding my way.

"I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're going to kidnap Soichiro Yagami's daughter – Sayu Yagami." I groaned and put my head in my hands.  
"Hey, Boo, you okay?" Mello questioned with a tone of concern. I nodded before replying.  
"Yeah, I'm fine. But I'm going to sit out on this one. I don't hurt, nor do I cause trauma, to innocents who do not deserve it." Mello looked confused for a second before his smirk returned.  
"Ah, I understand why the process of choosing a case took so long now. Very well, Boo. You don't have to be a part of the kidnapping. However, being the only female agent, Sayu Yagami's personal hygiene and other related issues will be your responsibility."

"I understand. The preparations shall be made immediately. I'll see to it personally."

I was facing the wall, sulking like a three year old. Actually, I think the age of two was closer to the mark. It wasn't fair! Then again, nothing seemed like it was when I was in this mood. All I wanted to do was help. But no! Apparently, hostages were not allowed to stay in the guest rooms. I had just cleaned it all and everything! Talk about ungrateful. Bang! Oh, for goodness sake.

"Come in, Mello." In he came, chocolate in hand.  
"How did you know it was me?" I grinned.  
"No-one else tries to break my door down when they want something. Moreover, no-one but you and Ross visit my room anyway. As Ross hasn't been in here for a while, it was an easy assumption to make." He nodded at my logic before taking a seat on the bed.  
"What's up?"  
"It's just . . . it's just everything! I tried my best, but everything was wrong. I don't _do_ anything anymore. I just feel like nothing but a set-back," I finished. He laughed.  
"Boo, without you, we wouldn't have even had the director, let alone have gotten anything out of him. Geez, without you, we wouldn't have a plan of action right now. You've played one of the most important roles in this mission. Just because your character doesn't have any lines at the moment, well . . . that doesn't mean you're a 'set-back' as you called it. Anyway, I came for a reason. I have a phone call to make and I have reason to believe you would like to be in there when I do." I nodded. Finally, the fun can begin again.

"This is Yagami." The voice filtered through my headset connected to the phone.

"Look, about trading the director in exchange for the notebook, the deal's been cancelled. Takimura is dead." Mello paused for effect. From what I could hear, it produced the desired result.  
"You bastards! What did you do?" I let out a low whistle. Someone was defiantly too protective over their boss. Mello, however, was unfazed.

"It's only cancelled though regarding the director. The new deal is this: the notebook for Sayu Yagami." A gasp was heard through the little device. I felt a twinge of sympathy for the guy, but it passed over quickly. Sayu was going to be fine. Mello wasn't finished yet.  
"As you are the deputy director of the Japanese Police, it would be stupid to ask you not to call the cops. But you had better handle this on your own, without back-up. If I see the police making any big movements in the next little while, I'll kill your daughter. That's right, just as easily as we killed the director. I'll send you a photo of Takimura's corpse to prove I mean business. Take a good look. I'll contact you tomorrow."

"Huh? No wai-" The line went dead. I removed the headgear and placed it carefully on the table.  
"Nice one. I don't think we'll have another dead hostage on our hands anytime soon." Mello grinned.  
"Now _that_ I agree with. Although I must say, you did look a little confused at the end." I shrugged.  
"I just didn't understand the reasoning for the lie behind Takimura's death at the time. The 'business' statement cleared it up though. When is she due to arrive?"

"Early this morning. Any reason or just plain curiosity?" I let out a laugh.  
"Do you even have to ask?"

Once again, the headset rested against my skull.  
"This . . . is Yagami." The voice was tired now, almost defeated. I winced, but Mello paid no heed to his suffering.  
"Your daughter has finally arrived. It's about time."  
"W-What do you mean?" Mr. Yagami was startled.

"You already have a pretty good idea about where we are, don't you?" This was news to me. I stared at Mello, but he refused to meet my gaze. The voice on the phone made a grunt of agreement.  
"We'll make the exchange here," Mello continued. "Come to L.A., by yourself, in two days and, of course, _bring the notebook with you_."

"I won't make the trade unless I am sure my daughter's safe. I want to talk to her right now!" Well, well, well. It looks like Mr. Yagami wasn't the spineless coward I had visualised. Finally, Mello looked over. Staring back, I figured out the hidden question. In reply, I shook my head vigorously, drawing my finger across my neck. He nodded, returning the hand-held device to his mouth.  
"How about this: I'll send you another photo. That should satisfy you." Hanging up, he held out the mobile. I knew what to do. I snapped the shot, ensuring the TV show was visible. At least now they'd know the photo was recent. Thank goodness the glass didn't distort the picture too much. Even so, it wasn't a very good photo, nor did it show Sayu as being well-treated, but there was an extent to which you could fake circumstances. Handing the phone back, Mello grinned in approval.  
"The TV. Nice touch, Boo." A beep told me the message had been sent. My job here was done.  
"Thanks for the entertainment, but now I have a responsibility to uphold." A questioning eyebrow was raised.  
"What? You didn't seriously think I was going to keep the girl like that, did you? I told you before, Mello, innocents do not deserve punishment." With that, I left to attend to young Miss Yagami.

"Who's there?" She was scared. Understandable. I stepped into the light.  
"It's okay, Miss Yagami, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to take you to your room." She withdrew from my figure.  
"What's that code for? Are you going to kill me now you've made your ransom demand?" I sighed.  
"You know, Sayu, we're not as despicable as you think. My boss and I intend to carry out our deal as promised. As long as your father hands over the notebook, no harm will befall you. I promise." Slowly, I extended my hand. Still she shrank back.  
"How do I know I can trust you?"  
"You can't, but I can't let you starve to death either. That would be cruel, especially as you are an innocent. You can't know to trust me, true, but believe me when I say that I do not harm the innocent. Only the guilty deserve to be punished. Now, come on. You need food and you need sleep. It's been a long day." Once again, my hand was extended. This time, hesitantly, she took it and pulled herself to her feet. I smiled and opened the door.  
"Let's go. Though, be warned, if you try anything, I may be forced to hurt you."


	6. Chapter 6

It was my fault. It was _all_ my fault. Currently, I resided in the cell next to Sayu's. They had thrown me in here a few hours previously. Rod Ross had been furious. My cheek was purple and throbbing, as was my eye. And the rest of my body for that matter. All I had wanted to do was make sure Sayu wasn't hurt. She was an innocent. Innocents didn't deserve punishment. I didn't feel that I did either. Ross had thought differently. Apparently hostages weren't allowed out of their cells, nor were they supposed to be treated well. Ross had dealt with me, but he had left Sayu at the mercy of the others. Her screams had subsided hours ago, but her sobs hadn't. Neither had mine. I was apologising to her, over and over, and I was calling for Mello. But he wasn't here. That's why they did it. Because Mello wasn't here. Ross wouldn't have dared otherwise. It hurt, but Sayu was worse. At least, that's what I thought. Her shrieks had been more panic filled than mine. I didn't want to know what had been going on in that cell. The guilt weighed on my back like the weights Ross lifted. Where was Mello? I needed him.

"Boo!" I looked towards the door with my good eye and immediately regretted it. The hall was too bright. A sharp intake of breath told me someone was in the cell. As the shadow came closer, I recoiled. Hadn't they done enough damage already?

"You bastards! What have you done?" It was Mello.

"Mello, you're back!" I cried happily, jumping into his arms. I snuggled into him, ignoring the shoots of pain from my face and hands. However, soon the smarting became too much for me to bear and the tears began to fall again.

"It hurts, Mello. I was only trying to protect Sayu. She hasn't done anything wrong! But they shouted at me, told me that I was ruining everything. They said I had to be punished." Wiping the tears away gently, he carefully wrapped his arms around me, whispering words of comfort before his tone changed.

"Who did it, Boo? Who hurt you like this?" I sniffed and shook my head. Enough people had been hurt today. Mello wasn't going to be one of them.

"Boo Clearwater!" his voice was firm and demanding. "Tell me who did this to you right now!" Again, I shook my head. I could be horrendously stubborn. It was a draw-back the majority of the time. Nonetheless, sometimes this trait came in handy.

"I did it." A voice from the doorway. Mello spun around, angrier then I had ever seen him. Even Near hadn't produced this reaction. Ross flinched and took a step back, towards the safety of the passage.

"How could you? How could you do this? What is wrong with you?" Within seconds, Mello's gun was at Ross' temple, his finger on the trigger. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just kill you now. You are nothing but scum. She did as directed. Miss Yagami was not to be hurt, those were the instructions. Moreover, she was in Boo's care. Boo did the right thing. Then you did this. You are lucky Boo is present. Had she been absent, I would have blown your brains on to the opposite wall. However, I have the idea that it would upset her. You've escaped, Ross, but only narrowly. Now, get out of my sight before I forget to take Boo's emotions into consideration." Ross was half-way down the corridor the moment Mello had finished his sentence. Mello turned back to me, his head hanging down.

"I let you get hurt. Boo, I'm so s-sorry," he choked out, overcome with sadness and anger. I took his hand in mine, leading him out of the now open cell door.

"It's okay, Mello. I knew you were coming back. That's why I kept calling for you. I knew you'd help me when you came back." He smiled and kissed my forehead lightly. For a moment, everything was perfect. Then I heard a sob. My eyes widened in terror.

"Sayu! What did they do to her? She was screaming and she was crying and . . ." I buried my head in the crook of his neck. "It was horrible." Mello pulled away to look me in the eyes. His face held nothing but confusion.

"Boo, Sayu's fine. They didn't do anything to her, except scare her a little." I shook my head.

"No, you have to be wrong. Why else would she scream like that?" Still disbelieving, I ran to the door of the next cell. There, I stopped. If it was really as bad as I thought, did I really want to see it? No, I had to face this. This was my punishment for not protecting her. Opening the door slowly, I let out a gasp.

Mello had been right. Sayu was fine. Curled up, shivering and crying, but fine. Or at least, she looked fine.

"Sayu? Are you okay?"

"Boo, is that you? Are you hurt?" Now, I have to admit, that confused me a little. Surely she should be mad at me for getting her injured?

"Boo, I'm so sorry! They told me to scream. They said that, if I didn't, they'd hurt you. They said they'd hurt you a lot. I didn't want anyone to get hurt, so I did it. I screamed. They were recording the whole thing. But then I heard you crying and . . ." she broke off as she stepped forwards. I rushed to her side and held both her hands.

"Thank you, Sayu. No-one's cared about me like that before, not after they have just met me anyway. I'm sorry, but I can't get you out of here. You'll have to be here for a while. Until your dad comes for you that is. You can deal with that right?" She nodded hesitantly. I sighed in relief.

"Good. I'll be back to visit tomorrow. If I can." As I turned to leave, she grabbed my wrist.

"Was that your father? In the cell with you? Was it him that hurt you?" For some reason, this made me angry. I pulled out of her grasp and laughed harshly.

"Yes, he did hurt me. But he is not my father. My father's dead, Sayu. I killed him." With that, I walked out of the cell and stormed up to my room, Mello calling after me the whole way.

Bang!

"Go away!" Bang!

"Boo! Please, we need to talk!" I glared at the closed door.

"I don't want to talk! Go away!"

"Boo Clearwater! You have three seconds to unlock this door, or so help me God . . ." His voice tailed off as he began to curse. With one final sigh, I followed his instructions.

"Done. You can come in." I laid back down on my bed, head on my newly soaked pillow. Tears began to fall from my eyes once more.

"Boo? Don't cry, please. I can't stand it."

"What am I supposed to do, Mello? I have to face up to what I did. Maybe this is how I'm going to do it." Mello shook his head.

"No, Boo. Talk to me about it. It helps to talk to someone you know. Besides, I think you owe me an explanation, don't you?" Sniffing, I nodded and sat up, wrapping my arms around my knees which I brought to my chest.

"I was 7 years old at the time. Of course, my father was not a law-abiding citizen. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known what to do. I had seen him kill before. He didn't care. He just did it. Anyway, on this day, Lawli came back. His father had died years ago, so he was alone. He was seventeen at the time and he had come back to visit our mother. He had been the result of a secret affair, held during her engagement. He knew that. Still, she loved him. What he didn't know was that our mother had never mentioned him before, not to my father anyway. My father didn't know he existed. So, when my father came home and saw another man at the table . . . well, you can guess how well that went. In the middle of his rant, my mother shouted the explanation. Now he knew the truth. But that just made him angrier. She was a slut. She was a whore. She didn't deserve to live. Those were his exact words. She had cheated on him. Even though they had only been engaged at the time, even though it had happened years ago, he still killed her. Right in front of my eyes, he stabbed her. Over and over. There was nothing but blood. Blood, blood, blood. The look in her eyes, it was despair. She motioned for me to run, but I was stuck still. I couldn't move. It was at that moment that I realised I hated my father. So, when he turned to Lawliet, ready to hurt him too, I struck out. My mother had taught me self-defence before. Only at that moment did I understand why. I drove my elbow into the soft skin of his stomach. As he doubled over, I grabbed the scarlet-bladed knife from his fist. Gripping it with both hands, I retreated until my back was pressed against the wall. The moment he stood up, I used the wall as a spring board. I flew through the air, stabbing him in the stomach. Over and over I drove the dagger home. He was screaming and so was I, but I was in control. I slashed at his face, his legs and his body. All the time, I was yelling that now he knew how Mummy felt, how all those other people felt. This caused me to be distracted for a while. After all, I was only seven. That's when he bit me. He sunk his teeth in my arm and he just wouldn't let go." To accentuate this statement, I rolled up the sleeves on my top. There, in the middle of my arm, was the scar. A perfect crescent. Mello winced.

"Now I know why you always wear long-sleeves." I nodded.

"I was so scared. I was crying out, trying to get him off, but he held on. L jumped forward, kicking my father, punching him repeatedly. But we couldn't get him off. Eventually, I did the only thing I could think of. I grabbed the knife from his stomach and pushed it into his chest. He let out a yelp, but then he dropped to the floor. He was dead, surrounded by a pool of red blood. And I had killed him. Well, of course there was physical evidence connecting me to the homicide, but Lawli protected me. He claimed that it had been self-defence. In a twisted way, I guess he was right. But it could have been prevented. My father needn't have died that night. However, with him being the world's greatest detective, this theory was universally accepted. But that day changed me. That's when I realised that the guilty had to be punished. I felt that I needed to protect the innocent. Like L. We went different ways about it but, in the end, we were both striving for the same goal. But that day has always stayed at the back of my mind. That day, that was the day everything changed. That was the day I became a murderer. That was the day Boo Clearwater was born. That day is the reason I am the way I am. But, no matter what people say, I cannot bring myself to regret my choices. I cannot bring myself to regret a murder. Sometimes I disgust myself," I finished, putting my head in my hands. I felt Mello wrap his arms around me. Unable to stop myself, I started to sob. I cried and cried with Mello rocking me gently. Eventually, I drifted into unconsciousness due to pure exhaustion, tears still pouring from my overflowing eyes. For the first time in eight years, I cried myself to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

We're moving today. Not permanently, but we won't be back here again. This base, my home of seven years, is to be abandoned when we leave. Who knows, maybe some children off the street will take refuge here? I doubt it. Everyone steers clear of this place.  
"Boo? Are you okay?" Mello was making his way towards me. I smiled at him, my bruised eyes lighting up.

"Hi, Mello. Yes, I'm fine. It's just . . . I'm going to miss this place. It holds so many good memories," I explained, staring off into the distance. Mello scoffed.

"To hell it does! Don't you remember the day we met?" I laughed.

"I'm not sure. Didn't I kick your butt because you called me small?" He smirked.

"You know, I'm pretty sure that is how it happened. God, I was so angry afterwards. But I never could stay angry at you for long, even then." I threaded my arm through his and cuddled into him, sighing.

"Do you remember what happened when I found out the reasoning behind your Kira obsession?" He thought for a moment before the remembrance struck him.

"You jumped at me! You leapt and wrapped your arms around my neck, crying. Jeez, that scared me! I hadn't expected that at all. Strange, I used to be so adverse to physical contact. Looks like you've changed me for the better, Boo." The corners of my mouth rose softly.

"Looks like I have." Mello huffed and ruffled my hair.

"Come on, get a move on. We have an appointment with the desert." I stared at him.

"You have got to be kidding me!"

I hated him. I hoped he fell off a cliff and broke his neck. Actually, no. There was a problem with that. That wasn't possible anymore. There weren't any cliffs in this damn desert! I hated the sun. I wasn't allergic, nor did I have some kind of strange phobia. No, it was nothing like that. It was just that, well, I looked about nine years old in the sunlight. See, usually, my face was clear and devoid of any 'markings'. Under the heat of the sun, everything changed. My face instantly became the resting place to millions of freckles. I know it seemed a silly thing to freak out about, but it was hard to be intimidating as it was. These stupid blotches made it neigh impossible! Bang!

"Argh! Go away and die! I hate you! Why did you bring me here?" Everything was silent for a while. Then a noise started outside, louder and louder. My eyes widened as I realised what it was. Laughter. The bastard actually had the guts to laugh at me! Growling, I slammed the door open. A gasp of pain told me I had just scored a bulls-eye. Or close to it.

"The door opens outwards, dumbass," I snarled, looking down at Mello with an expression on contemp. He was clutching his knee, bent over double.

"Yeah, I know that now. For God's sake, Boo! They're just freckles! Get over it!" I kicked at his other knee lightly. Bad mood or not, I couldn't bring myself to hurt him. Well, not directly anyway.

"So the others told you. I'm glad you got a good laugh out of it. You can giggle along all you want, but I still hate you. You're mean to me, bringing me all the way out here," I said, pouting like a child. Seems I couldn't stay angry at Mello either. Rubbing his knee for the last time, he stood up and stared at me.

"I don't know what you think is wrong with them. You look cute."

"That's the point! I don't want to be 'cute'! I want to be intimidating, scary and totally badass! Like you!" He grinned.

"Aw, I'm flattered. But, that still doesn't change the way you look. Here, think about it this way. You're around 5'3", petite, a brunette and you have the mostly adorable face I've seen in a long time. Would you suspect yourself to be Boo Clearwater, murderer extraordinaire?" I tilted my head, feeling slightly better about myself.

"No, I guess not. So, you're saying that the way I look is my best camouflage?" He nodded.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. I mean, you look innocent enough anyway. Add in the freckles and, well, the idea of you being the world's greatest Mafia agent is impossible to comprehend. Hell, if I didn't know better, I'd have doubts myself!"

I laughed and bared my teeth.

"Well then, it's a good thing you do know better. It's too hot to kick your arse." He smirked.

"Thank God. Now, come on. You haven't had the tour yet. I can't have you and your little freckles getting lost now, can I?"

I had to admit, it was exceedingly well planned out. Not only was our previous base safe, but our current rendezvous was too. How Mello was able to get the pilot to agree, I do not know. Then again, I wasn't sure that I wanted to. His tactics were often far from child-friendly. Not that I was a child. I was simply immature and irresponsible. Sayu was positioned in the revolving door, ready for her father who was expected in a few hours from now. It must be nice, knowing someone was going to come for you. Two years previously, I would have been insanely jealous. Now, I understood. I had Mello and I knew he'd always be there for me. He'd always come back. Still, a cell wasn't the nicest place in the world. Far from it.

"Sayu? Are you alright?" I was speaking through the rectangular hole in the glass. She glanced up and smiled tiredly.

"Would you be okay if it was you in here?"

"Well, I think I'd probably melt, but I don't think that's what you meant." Shaking her head in amusement, she turned to face the floor.

"How much longer is it going to be, Boo?" I started at her tone. It was so . . . so defeated. She was hurt, mentally and physically. And it was my fault. I hadn't managed to protect her on the plane, hadn't had the chance to. She had been in the main hold with the others. Mello was still keeping me separated from Rod Ross; hence he hadn't wanted us in the same hold. So he'd dragged me to the first class seating. I had felt bad at the time. Now, I felt terrible, completely awful..

"L-Look, Sayu, you dad will be here soon. Then you can go home. I promise." She sighed.

"I believe you. For whatever twisted reason, I believe you every time you say that. I believe that you're telling the truth. God knows why though," she finished, running a hand through her unkempt, tangled hair. I smiled.

"That's nice to know. Thank you, Sayu. Listen, no matter what happens, you'll be leaving this place alive. Even if it means the death of one of my Mafia 'brothers'. I keep my word. The cost is irrelevant. I'm quite proud of this achievement and I don't plan on discarding it today." Her eyes lit up with a newly found aura. Grinning softly, I took my leave, retreating back to the main 'living area'. Mr. Yagami was due soon and Mello had some instruction for him before hand. Some instructions I wanted to hear.

"Boo! It's go time!" I skipped over to the sofa. Letting myself fall, I landed on the couch just as Mello began to speak.

"Yagami, right now, you are the only one who can hear my voice. Listen very carefully. I'm the one who kidnapped your daughter. But don't get the wrong idea. I have no interest in your daughter's life, one way or the other. Or yours for that matter." Mello had picked up the microphone by this time, another unwrapped bar of chocolate in his hands. Relaxing, he continued to speak in a tone of indifference.

"There is only one thing I want and you know what that is. The notebook. Now, all you have to do is follow my instructions. If you do that, no-one has to die." I rolled my eyes. Trust him to be so melodramatic. Pun intended.

"As for the trade, I've prepared things so that we can both walk away satisfied. Play along and there will be no problems." Mello placed the microphone on the table in front of him and turned to me.

"Boo, I want you to 'sit in' on the exchange. As good of an agent Y462 is, he may have a little idea for the exchange. We can't be delayed by any . . . ah . . . complaints about broken promises." I nodded, my fury barely concealed. So, they were still planning to kill Sayu. Over my dead body. Or, more realistically, over theirs.

I stood in the darkness, concealed due to the lack of light. Kind of ironic, considering we were in a desert and all. Y462 had no idea that I was there. Exactly as planned. Light flooded the room momentarily. Hell, I had forgotten about this part. Shielding my eyes, I retreated further back into the rapidly decreasing shadows. Luckily, the entrance closed almost instantly. I returned to my original place, sighing internally. Here, I had a perfect view of the room. It was at this point I caught my first sighting of Mr. Yagami. He was tall and greying, but with the undeniable aura of strength and honour. I took an instant liking to this man. He, of all people, understood the need for justice. His face showed no emotion. It was blank, clear. A technique perfected only by those who had seen it all. However, the emotionless mask slipped when Y462 began firing at the glass. I knew it was bullet-proof, but still I flinched. Sayu . . . Sayu was shaking in terror. I clenched my fists, my body charged with anger. Mello and I were going to have a little talk after this.

"The glass is bullet-proof, understand?" They couldn't have proved that some other way? Still, Y462 continued, oblivious to the disturbed pair.

"This place used to belong to a crime syndicate. They used to make trades just like this. We've made a few modifications as well." Lowering his empty hand to motion to a slot in the glass, he explained the rest of the procedure.

"Slide the notebook through here. Once that's done, I'll release the lock. We both step back and spin the glass door, the notebook ending up on my side and the girl on yours. However, if you don't agree to this trade, I'll shoot your daughter through this opening." Sayu's whole frame was vibrating with fear. Mr. Yagami growled detectably, but pulled out the notebook anyway.

"First, open the notebook and insert it half-way into the slot in the glass door on your left," Y462 instructed. Reluctantly, Mr. Yagami complied.

"Now then, I'll test the notebook."

"Test it? You're going to kill someone? No, I can't allow that!" I had to give it to him: this guy had guts. Y462 glanced up momentarily.

"We can't make the trade without making sure it's the real thing. Do you really want to see your daughter die?" Mr. Yagami was silent, making no other form of refusal. I felt a twinge of pity for this veteran. After years of protecting the public, he had to stand and watch as someone was killed. At least it wasn't his daughter. Everything was quiet for a while. Then Y462 let out a chuckle. Goodbye, Miller.

"It seems the notebook is genuine after all. Now let it go. We'll make the exchange for your daughter." Hesitantly, the officer did just that. Y462 raised the tip of the gun, aiming at Sayu's temple.

"Goodbye, Miss Yagami." Stepping out of the shadows, I leapt at the ignorant figure. Within seconds, my hand was threaded through his hair, yanking his head backwards. His exposed throat curved in slightly from the pressure of my ballistic knife.

"Lower the gun," I hissed. Still the firearm remained raised. Growling, I pressed the serrated edge harder against the soft skin of his neck.

"Don't make me repeat myself. If I have to kill you, I will do so without remorse. Lower it!" Slowly, he did as I asked. I stepped away, only to dart forwards again. Y462 collapsed to the floor, still conscious but in great pain. The butt of my knife had left a nice abrasion on his forehead. That was defiantly going to bruise tomorrow morning. I turned to Mr. Yagami.

"Apologies for any inconvenience. I assure you, the previous escapade was not a planned sequence. My boss and I had no intention of backtracking on our deal. The exchange will now be carried out as originally planned." Reaching over, I released the lock, spinning the glass door. Sayu crumpled into her father's arms as he began to lead her up the steps.

"Mr. Yagami?" He turned his head to face me, still supporting his weakened daughter. I smiled slightly.

"Tell her I said thank you, for believing in me." He nodded and made his way to the top, out into the desert air. I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. Kicking Y462 on my way out, I walked back to the 'living area'. It was time to face Mello. Boy, was he in for a beating, hot weather or not.

The missile glinted in the strong sunlight. It was amazing. To think, Mello went through all this trouble for a notebook. Speaking of Mello . . .

"Boo, can you get off me yet?" I shook my head, still refusing to move from the small of his back. He was lucky. It turns out he hadn't planned for them to shoot at Sayu through the glass either. However, he had planned for them to shoot at the glass. So, essentially, it was his fault for putting ideas into their heads. Stupid blonde. A thundering roar told us the missile had been launched. I stared at the roof, transfixed. I had always loved rockets, even as a child. Of course, my childhood had been far from normal. The voice of Y462 crackled through the laptop.

"Boss, I'm sure you were watching. I did everything you asked me to, just as planned." Ross answered through the intercom.

"Yeah, I saw that. Good job." It would have been a normal statement, if not for the expression on Ross' face. An expression I had seen many times before. It looked like Y462 didn't need to worry about that bruise showing tomorrow morning.

"Then this is going to wipe out all of those past screw-ups of mine, right?" No, Y462, you were wrong. How have you not figured that out yet?

"Oh, yeah. Wiped out for sure." Ross' tone only enforced my previous guess. It looked like this was good-bye to another 'brother'. Two in one day. Mello really meant business.

"Do it!" Jack Neylons hands danced over the keyboard at Ross' command. Sure enough, BOOM! No more helicopter and no more Y462. I guess I should have been sad, but I never really liked that guy much anyway. Or maybe Mello was rubbing off on me. I yawned, stretching my arms into the air.

"Well, it's been an eventful day, but I'm totally knackered. I'm going to bed."

"Oh, no you're not," Mello replied quietly. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Oh, actually, I think I am. You can't tell me what to do Mello. I'm almost seventeen. I'm pretty sure I can choose my own bedtime." He shook his head.

"No, Boo. We have a plane to catch and a notebook to retrieve. I packed your bags earlier. Go and get them. Then we can leave." I looked at him stunned. He wasn't joking. I sighed, but did as he asked. After all, I never did like the desert anyway.


	8. Chapter 8

Jack had arrived with the notebook by this time. Mello couldn't wait to get his hands on it. Then again, neither could Ross or the other base members. I was pretty curious myself. Hence, I thought nothing of it. It wasn't until he pulled a pen that I began to worry. There was a frenzied look in his eye, one I hadn't seen before. It scared me. He looked . . . he looked mad. I could almost visualise the long, talon-like claws of insanity tightening their hold around his feminine frame. The nib of the pen was on the paper now. Only at this moment, this point, did I realise his intentions.

"Mello, stop!" My voice rang out, sharp and panicked. What was he doing? He glared over at me.

"Why would I stop? I already made it clear that I was planning to eliminate my competition, _our_ competition. This is my chosen method of execution and this is going to happen, whether you agree or not." I stormed across the room and snatched the ball-point from his clenched fist. In one swift movement, it was in two halves.

"I don't think so," I growled, moving closer. Mello placed his hand on the Death Note protectively.

"Then, I'm afraid you leave me no choice, Boo," he sighed. "Get her!" My 'brothers', those I had worked with all these years, were advancing towards me on his command. Whatever happened to family values? Impulsively, I let instinct take over. My body flew through the air, twirling in a graceful, yet dangerous manner. Groans filled the room as fists and feet connected with soft flesh. Soon, only Ross and Mello were left. As Ross began to walk forward, I hesitated. Usually, the idea of hurting him would not have crossed my mind. After the incident two days ago however . . . smack! With the help of a table leg, Ross joined the group of fallen members. Usually I wouldn't resort to using weapons, but there was no way I could have taken him down otherwise. The others had been easy. They'd all get-up soon. Sure, they'd have headaches, but nothing major. Well, theoretically. I stared at Mello from across the room.

"Now what are you going to do, Mello?" He stood up.

"It looks like I'll have to get you myself." I was horrified. Attacking Ross, I could handle, but Mello? Not a chance. I shook my head, backing away.

"No, Mello, no. Don't come any closer. I don't want to hurt you."

"Then give in," he challenged, smirking at my distress. I glanced up, eyes ablaze. Under no circumstances did I ever give up.

"Never," I snarled, darting to the side. If I could just get the notebook, Mello would remain untouched. Unfortunately, things were never that easy.

I struggled and struggled, but to no avail. The only way to get out of a hold like this was to break his arm. I knew that Mello knew I wouldn't do that to him. He knew that I knew. Grinning down at me writhing in his grasp, he helped Ross to his feet and transferred me to his arms.

"Geez, I feel like some sort of doll. Can you put me down please?" Ross' expression turned stony.

"That was a bad thing you did there. A very bad thing. Looks like you'll have to be punished. Now," he said, clucking his tongue in a disapproving manner. "Now, you'll watch." My eyes grew wide with fear.

"What? Watch you kill? Kill innocents? No! No, Ross, please! Don't make me! No, Mello! Stop them, please." I was sobbing by this point, my body shaking with the effort of trying to escape. Mello looked worried.

"Are you sure that's necessary? Do you not feel that locking her in a cell would be punishment enough?" Ross laughed.  
"For her? She'd enjoy it! She loves being alone! No, this is the perfect punishment." Murmurs of agreement sounded throughout the room. Mello frowned slightly, looking down at his lap. When his head was raised again, his signature expression was back. This time however, it didn't reach his eyes.

"Okay then. But, how about Jack does it? Because, no offence, surely it would make her feel worse to know she could have stopped it given the opportunity?" He leaned towards me and the desperation in his eyes made me flinch. Still, I gave a small nod. He understood. As awful as it was, I didn't care who died nearly as much as I cared that it wasn't Mello writing the name. Reclining backwards, he passed a new pen to Jack Neylon.

"Oh, and be careful when you're writing. I understand that it is a fountain pen and all, but try not to blot it. We would have had a ball-point, but _someone _broke it," Mello exclaimed, half-glancing my way. However, his gaze went unnoticed. My eyes were drawn to the pen. The closer it became to the paper, the harder I began to struggle. I kicked, I wriggled and I punched. Hell, I even resorted to biting! Still, Ross held on. In the end, tiring of my screams, he placed his large hand over my mouth. The body part acted as a muffler, preventing my cries from escaping into the room.

"Steve Mason." Mello's voice was clear, devoid of any emotion. The pen scratched across the page. It had begun. Almost instantly, my body was alive once more. I struggled and fought to the best of my ability.

"Larry Connors."

"No!" My shout was once again resisted by my fleshy gag. My legs were spinning everywhere, finding purchase on Ross' shins and knees. It was to no avail. The man didn't seem to feel anything.

"Ellickson Thomas." Tears began to well up in my eyes. Why were they doing this to people? To innocent people? I continued to fight against the human bonds, but I was tiring quickly.

"Elliot Schmidt. Adolf Tucker." My protests and physical movements were frail and weak. I attacked his lower leg with my heel feebly. It was all over.

"John Skyner. Daril Mocry. Kurt McBride." Mello paused and stared at the last name on the list.

"Are you sure about this last one, Ross? He was working for us." Ross shook his head.

"You can never be too careful, especially when it comes to tying up loose ends. Kill him." Mello nodded.

"Shawn Dunleavy."

Ill Ratt. Tears spilled over as I tried to scream. I tried to tell them to stop, to spare him, to spare our 'brother'. But no-one could hear me. No-one listened. Neylons hand was steady as he wrote. Finally, the pen was set down.

"Done. I have to say, that last one was a pleasant surprise. I never liked that guy much." I couldn't move as the cries tore through my body. Ross dropped me to the floor and kicked my lower back. Instead of moving, I curled into a ball and continued to shed tears. When I spoke, my voice was hoarse.

"Why? You knew. Only you knew about me, about us. Why did you do it?" Ross laughed emotionlessly.

"Maybe that'll teach you what happens when you become disobedient. Maybe, if you want your boyfriend to live, next time you'll do what I tell you!" His voice rose to a shout. I heard a gasp echo throughout the room. It turns out everyone was as surprised as Shawn had suspected they'd be. He had been right. He had always been right. Of course, one person would be more surprised than the rest. I turned to face a horror struck Mello.  
"He was your . . . oh God, Boo, I'm so sorry." I shook my head.

"Sorry isn't good enough, not at this moment," I said softly, rotating to face Ross.

"You've taken everything. I hope you're proud of yourself." Suddenly, I laughed. It didn't sound right, cold and high. The tears still continued to pour down my face.

"And to think, I once considered you a father. Well, I'm not blind anymore. I hate you. I hope you rot in hell." I stood and walked towards the door. I made it to the entrance before the chuckling registered.

"I'll meet you there, Boo Clearwater. On second thoughts, no, I don't think I will. I've heard they keep serial murderers apart from the rest of us." Slamming the door, I ran down the hallway and charged into my room. My hand darted under the mattress and pulled out a stocked photo album. I didn't make it past the first page. We had been so happy together, smiling and laughing. We had even discussed marriage once. But that couldn't happen now. As I fell to the ground, I thought of his eyes, his hair, the way he made me feel. First L, then Ill Ratt. I wasn't sure how much more of this I could take. Exhaustion caught up with me. Nonetheless, I didn't move. I couldn't.

"I love you, Ratt, I love you so much." Then I slipped into unconsciousness.


End file.
